1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to retractable tarpaulin systems for truck cargo spaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tarpaulin structure for a retractable system, the combination of a tarpaulin and a system, and a method for using the tarpaulin structure that includes the steps of installing the new tarpaulin without removing the cross supports from the cables of an existing system.
2. Background Information
Numerous retractable tarpaulin systems for truck cargo spaces are known in the art. A typical system is used with a truck 1 having a cargo space 2 defined by a bed 3, a front wall 4, a back wall 5 disposed substantially parallel to the front wall and a pair of spaced parallel side walls 6 and 7 disposed substantially perpendicular to the front 4 and back 5 walls. A typical retraction system generally includes a plurality of cross supports 8 positioned across cargo space 2 and supported by side walls 6 and 7. Cross supports 8 are typically disposed substantially parallel to front and back walls 4 and 5. The ends of cross supports 8 engage cables 9 that are strung between pulleys 10. In one typically system, the rearmost cross support moves the cables while the intermediate cross supports slidingly engage the cables. A reversible motor (or hand crank) 11 is used to drive cables 9—and thus the rearmost cross support 8—back and forth across cargo space 2 between extended and retracted positions. As the rearmost cross support 8 moves, the tarpaulin is pulled or pushed across the cargo space. When the rearmost support pulls the tarpaulin, the tarpaulin pulls the remaining cross supports 8. When the rearmost support pushes the tarpaulin, the rearmost support pushes the other cross supports which moves the tarpaulin with them.
A tarpaulin is connected to cross supports 8 and is retractable and extendable along with cross supports 8. The tarpaulin defines a closed sleeve that surrounds each cross support 8. A drawback with this arrangement is that each cross support 8 must be pushed through a sleeve (or each sleeve must be shimmied over its cross support) to connect the tarpaulin to cross supports 8. This process is especially annoying in cold or wet weather. The process requires the person installing the tarpaulin to disconnect at least one end of cross supports 8 from cable 9. This process is undesirable and time consuming. The art thus desires a system that allows the entire tarpaulin to be installed without disassembling the elements of the retraction system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,109 discloses a segmented cover system that allows damaged sections of a tarp to be replaced without replacing the entire tarp. These individual tarp sections may be removed and installed by sliding the edge of the tarp section through a slot defined by the cross support. The system requires special cross supports that include removable ends (58) that cap the cross supports. This system requires the ends to be removed before the tarp sections are installed or removed. Further, the system requires existing cross supports to be replaced with specialized cross supports that are capable of receiving the tarpaulin sections. Although this system solves the problem of replacing an entire tarpaulin when only a small section is damaged or worn, the system does not solve the problem of replacing entire tarpaulins on existing support systems.